Current ProjectsTropical montane forest ecology

I was first introduced to the fog-drenched wonders of high elevation forests in Hawai'i. I have since visited other sites around the globe (such as Madagascar) and I decided somewhere along the way that I could spend a lifetime trying to understand this unique forest habitat.

_

Edaphic specialization

I am curious about plants that are endemic to unique soil or substrate types (eg serpentine, white sand, granite outcrops) and are adapted to nutrient-poor growing conditions. Flora of interest include Vireya rhododendrons and orchids.

_For the past few years I have been working on GIS intensive projects for
various public agencies and academic institutions including the
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the Oregon State University
Integrated Landscape Assessment Project (with the Oregon Biodiversity
Information Center), the State of Washington, and the USDA Forest
Service (Climate Impacts Group). These projects all shared a common goal - the integration of public policy, landscape management, conservation strategies, ecological informatics, and scientific research using the latest in geospatial technology.

Orchid Ecology

My research on orchids includes investigating their patterns of spatial distribution, pollination ecology, and methods of promoting the conservation of threatened or endangered species. Different orchid-based questions were explored at Mt. Angavokely in Madagascar and the Luquillo Experimental Forests in Puerto Rico.